In work vehicles such as agricultural tractors, a power takeoff, commonly returned to as a PTO, is used in known ways to drive various accessories or implements such as balers, mowers, corn pickers, and forage harvesters. A number of these work vehicles include front and rear PTOs.
Usually, the PTO can be engaged and disengaged from the power train of the work vehicle using a main switch positioned inside the cab. Frequently, the PTO can be engaged and disengaged also by a remote switch positioned outside the cab. The remote switch often is a push button or momentary contact switch the operator must continuously press in order to engage the PTO.
Shortcomings of these systems include problems resulting from conflicting operation of the main and remote switches. For instance, directions from a first operator operating the main switch inside the cab can conflict with directions from a second operator operating the remote switch outside the cab. Also, the rotational speed of the PTO can vary if the implement or accessory becomes overloaded and overloads the engine. Such variation of the rotational speed can harm the operator, the work vehicle, as well as the driven implement or accessory. Additionally, continuously engaging the PTO using the momentary contact remote switch requires continuous attention from the operator.
It is desirable to decrease the potential for conflicting directions-from operators using the main and remote switches to engage the PTO, increase the safety of using the PTO to drive the implements or accessories, and decrease the time the operator must press the momentary contact remote switch to continuously engage the PTO.